The latest Mainstreet poll shows a surprising level of optimism about the Canadian economy and personal finances.

The numbers are in the high 50s across regions and demographics - very optimistic/somewhat optimistic.

My only explanation for this optimism is that things have been relatively bad for people especially back east, that things seem better by comparison.

To me anyway, there just seems to be too many threats to this country, culture, prosperity, resource economy etc. All I can think is that maybe NAFTA will shake things up a bit and maybe get Canadians thinking more nationally rather than like 11 different players who won't pass the puck.

I don't see any real leadership from any party, and maybe that won't change until there's some groundswell of dissatisfaction to rally around. I remember this board had a lot more activity back when Harper had a minority and he had to prorogue parliament.
If there's a more appropriate forum with more activity I'd sure like to know.

I agree with your assessment. We are in an economy that is benefitting temporarily from the increased tempo of the economy down south. Additionally, we are in a real estate bubble that makes everyone over 40 think they're rich, smart, and have it all figured out.

And the leadership, across the board, is at an all-time low.

I think the Conservative Party lost its populist, CA element over Harper's tenure. I said elsewhere, the Conservative Party leadership visualizes its base is a clutch of cultivated people, like the audience at the Monk Debates, sensible, engaged, and ... ahem ... well dressed. But they aren't. They overwhelmingly get their seats in the older, more rural parts of the country. I used his video as a comparison:

It's a hit show on Canadian cable TV, and its people lampooning themselves. And the people being shown are the kind that sit around a roadside produce stand. If you watch what the are making fun of, it's exactly poliical correctness or 'their own way of talking. And these are the people that Andrew Scheer is embarassed by!

Immigration of 300,000 per year or higher is going to have an impact on the demographics. They all go to the same three or four cities. Like it or not this has an impact on the culture, and the explanation is it's good for the economy, never mind the impact on housing, competition for jobs, impact on city planning.

The CPC played the game so it's not just the Liberals. Quebecer's have been quicker to notice the threat to their culture. So much for the good ol' boys from Letterkenney as the urban areas swell with people who've don't understand our heritage or how our resource driven economy works. As much as I'm an urbanite and appreciate technology and culture, at least I've seen a working mine or two in my life. The economy needs to diversify and evolve of course but too many are happy to cut down the branches of the tree that makes their lives possible.

I see a silver lining in the provincial NDP clouds: Notley and now Horgan to some extent have been forced to acknowledge the importance of resources (to be clear I'm not saying they've done it well). I can only hope that having a taste of governing may wake up some of their followers to reality. At any rate Wynne and Notley will be out soon enough.

Immigration of 300,000 per year or higher is going to have an impact on the demographics. They all go to the same three or four cities. Like it or not this has an impact on the culture, and the explanation is it's good for the economy, never mind the impact on housing, competition for jobs, impact on city planning.

Pretty much all true. At least for the outset, but subsequent kids of immigrants can and lilekly be highly mobile.

As far as culture goes it has been changing since the word was made. Culture is always changing.
We badgered the Italians when they came. Ya know, until the built a metric shiteload of Canada . And those of us who saw how nice their houses were with all the decor they liked. Why not long after we all adopted it. All of it from the eating to the decor to the love of their games !

All the while we still loved 'ours' .

The impact on housing? Says a guy living in Vancouver ? That impact is why you probably have a million dollar ( or more) house and paid $110,000 for it in early '80s.

Immigration puts pressure on cheap houses. And those cheap house owners think , well damn.... lets move to a bigger house in middle classville. Then middleclasville guy wants in on upper middleclassville. ( of course affordable housing is an issue so I am not trying to skirt all the issues)

Not a bad problem to be honest. I hope you retire with lots of money and happiness.

Impact on city planning. City planning derives its base from Prop Tax and roll call rates.The city makes out like a bandit when these house prices rise.

Except Toronto that is. The mill rate is waaaaaay too low. But we find a way to get things done.

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The economy needs to diversify and evolve of course but too many are happy to cut down the branches of the tree that makes their lives possible.

Agree 100%

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At any rate Wynne and Notley will be out soon enough.

Wont comment on Notley, but baring any wunderkind popping up in the Brown aftermath, Wynne will enjoy another 4 years.

Jeez, johnm, I hope we don't get side-tracked with the preposterous idea that "culture has been changing for years" ... So has the climate, and for him, that requires action! For the culture, not so much.

It's true, though, culture does change. For a while, ours was on a wonderful arc upwards ... then it tailed off a bit, where we traded off some beauty to get more funcionality ... and the mix was not so clearly positive. But now, the direction of the culture change has become nihilistic. What could be more F***'d up than Mattress Girl? Yet she is lionized at her school, which gave her academic credits for her stunt. Her male victim is suing the school.

Immigration already is hitting Toronto and Montreal hard. But I also think the former officlals were making shrewder choices than they are now, implementing Trudeau's generous invitations. They are quietly filling up the Big O will illegals! They put them on welfare and give them support without angering Canadians because they borrow the money!

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